Many muzzle-loading firearms incorporate a removable breech plug that is installed into the breech end of the barrel. Muzzle-loader breech plugs commonly have a nipple that accepts a primer, such as a 209 shotshell primer, for initiating the primary powder charge (typically black powder, Pyrodex or other propellant). Known breech plugs are typically configured to conceal or cover the primer from the elements, to help reduce undesirable malfunctions of the primer initiating firing of the firearm.
Game regulations or hunting laws in some states require use of a percussion cap rather than a shotshell primer, and/or require that the percussion cap or other primer must be at least partially visible from the exterior of the firearm and thereby more exposed to the elements, to more closely replicate more primitive hunting conditions faced by hunters prior to the advent of modern firearms (compliance with such regulations is commonly referred to as a muzzle-loading firearm being “Northwest legal” or “open-ignition compliant”). These laws may be seen as a drawback to many hunters and outdoorsmen who have muzzle-loading firearms that incorporate a modern concealed primer breech plug design, as they might be required to purchase an entirely new muzzle-loader that is Northwest legal to hunt in those states having such regulations.
Accordingly, it can be seen that needs exist for improvements to muzzle-loading firearms and to muzzle-loader breech plugs allowing for Northwest legal or open-ignition compliance, and/or for allowing retrofit conversion of a muzzle-loading firearm originally having a concealed primer breech plug to be Northwest legal or open-ignition compliant. It is to the provision of improvements to muzzle-loading firearms, and to ignition systems and breech plugs for such firearms, meeting these and other needs that the present invention is primarily directed.